


Puppy Love

by KittyBandit



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dog Cafe, Dogs, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 03:25:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18229250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyBandit/pseuds/KittyBandit
Summary: It wasn't just the adorable puppies that caught Lavi's eye in the dog cafe...





	Puppy Love

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is for nieniekoto-mori who was one of the winners of the lavenlovers giveaway on tumblr! I hope you enjoy it!

Lavi liked dogs.

Honestly, who didn’t? They were cute, sweet, and loyal to a fault. Even for all their drool and messes and ability to chew up everything in sight without stopping, they were still lovable companions. Which was why the new dog cafe was so popular.

_Bark Place_ , as it was affectionately called, stood between the laundromat and a flower shop. The big, clear windows showed off the cafe hidden away inside, along with the roaming, playful pups scampering about the linoleum tiles. The shop was on his way to work, near the bus station and only a few blocks away from his office. Every day he’d walk past, and every day he’d peek into the cafe window to see what little pups were in the window to greet him. He’d never thought of stopping, too busy with work to justify spending his free time doing anything but eating or sleeping.

But on a rainy Tuesday night, Lavi saw him in the window. It wasn’t the fluffy golden retriever puppy that had caught his attention—but the young man brushing it.

The young man tucked strands of his white hair behind his ear as he wrangled the puppy for its brushing, smiling and speaking gently to the animal with each careful stroke of the brush. His silver eyes shone brightly under the warm lights in the cafe, welcoming even with the overcast skies. Before Lavi knew what he was doing, he entered the cafe and found himself a seat.

The sound of skittering paws against the floor and playful yips and barks filled the cafe, drowning out the constant hum of rain that had hung in the air all day long. He scanned the room, seeing a few baristas behind the front counter. A quick glance at the chalk written menu behind the counter showed an array of dog-themed food and drinks, as well as a healthy dose of doggy puns. As cute as the kitsch drinks and decor were, he’d come in for other reasons.

Lavi’s gaze landed on the barista still brushing the puppy near the window. He watched them, resting his chin on his palm as he leaned against the table. The whole scene was adorable, no doubt there, and Lavi already felt the stress of the day melting away. No wonder people liked this cafe.

A pair of silver eyes focused on Lavi’s green one, pulling him out of his thoughts. He straightened up in his seat as the white haired barista carried the puppy with him to Lavi’s table.

“Welcome to Bark Place. My name is Allen. Can I get you anything?” The puppy squirmed in his arms, chewing at the sleeves of his button up shirt with sharp, needle-like teeth, however, Allen made no indication of discomfort.

“I, uh,” Lavi began, already struck dumb by how pretty the barista was. “This is my first time here.” He winced after the words left his mouth, realizing only after he spoke how stupid he sounded.

Allen smiled and adjusted the puppy in his arms. The little fuzzball started chewing on his ear. “I can bring you a menu if you’d like? And while you’re waiting, feel free to play with the dogs.”

“Okay,” Lavi said, turning his gaze to the four-legged employees around the cafe. He hadn’t given much thought to the dogs when he’d entered, but now that he was here, he enjoyed their presence more than anything else. Still, it had been silly to come into the cafe on a whim in the first place. He’d order a coffee to go and leave before making a fool of himself—more than he already had. Not that it mattered. He doubted he’d come back, anyway.

 

xXxXxXx

 

It wasn’t the first time Lavi had to eat his own words.

_Bark Place_ was addictive. He may have entered the cafe because of a charming barista named Allen, but the dogs had him coming back again and again. No matter how shitty his day was at work, he could step into the cafe and have his worries instantly melt away. He came in once every couple of days those first few weeks, but after that, he’d spend time at the cafe every day he was able.

He sat at his usual table, an elderly basset hound on one side of him and a feisty pomeranian begging for treats on the other. He’d nearly forgotten about his latte when Allen returned to the table with a fresh bowl of milk bones.

“You’re popular today, Lavi,” he said, leaning down to pet the basset hound and slip her a treat. “Did you stuff your pockets with jerky again?”

Lavi laughed and shook his head. “No, just lucky today.” The distraction reminded him of his drink, and he took a quick sip. It’d already cooled down more than he would’ve liked, but it still tasted good. “By the way, your lattes are still the best ones here.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Lavi,” Allen teased, a bright smile on his face. “But since you like my coffee so much, maybe you’ll try my muffins. I baked them fresh this morning.”

“Blueberry lemon, drizzled with icing?” Lavi asked, hopeful.

“Is there any other kind?”

“I’ll take one.” He grabbed one of the milk bones from the bowl and fed it to each of the dogs, watching as Allen made his way back to the front counter.

After the dogs gobbled down their treats, Lavi drank more of his latte, trying not to stare at Allen as he fetched the muffin. Luckily, the pomeranian stole his attention again, paws on his knee as the little dog begged for more treats.

“I suppose I can’t say no to you, can I?” Lavi said, handing out another biscuit.

When he looked up again, Allen had already placed the muffin in front of him. “Watch out. She’ll get you to hand over the whole bowl before you know it,” Allen warned him, taking a seat at the table and giving the dog a few scratches behind the ear.

“I’ll be careful.” Even as he said the words, he gave the dog another treat.

“Mhmm, sure you will.” Allen may have chided Lavi, but he fell victim to the same cute eyes and perked ears, giving the dog another treat. “She’s going to get fat with all these biscuits.”

“That just makes her cuter.” Lavi turned his attention back to the muffin Allen had retrieved for him. “The cuter she is, the more likely someone will be to adopt her.” All of the dogs at the cafe were adoptable through the local animal shelter, and Lavi had seen the cafe lose and gain nearly ten dogs in the months he’d been frequenting the establishment.

“Maybe you could adopt her. She _is_ your favorite.” Allen poked Lavi in the shoulder playfully, mimicking the pomeranian’s own movement with her paws as she tapped Lavi’s leg for attention and more treats.

“I would love to, but my apartment doesn’t allow pets.”

“Oh? And does your apartment allow baristas?”

Lavi paused, his latte halfway to his lips, a quizzical look on his face. “Um. I don’t see why not?”

Allen smiled, resting his elbows on the table and leaning in closer. “Then maybe you can invite me over sometime?”

Nearly choking on his drink, Lavi sputtered, not sure how to respond. “I—uh… Well…”

His lack of eloquent response sent Allen into a fit of laughter. “I’m sorry, Lavi. Was I too forward?”

“No, I’m just…” he struggled for the right word to explain the feeling in his chest. “Surprised?”

Allen remained unbothered, still as cool as he always was. Lavi envied his composure. He smiled and gave the begging puppy at his feet another biscuit. “You come to visit the cafe almost every day. Not even our most dedicated customers come that often.” He shrugged, silver eyes turning back to Lavi. “I thought you might be here for something more than the puppies.”

Clearing his throat, Lavi averted his gaze. His cheeks flushed nearly as red as his hair under Allen’s soft stare. “You’re not wrong. Something else might’ve caught my eye.”

“Oh?”

“I just, ah… I didn’t realize I was so transparent.”

Allen shrugged. “Maybe I’m just perceptive.” He helped the pomeranian into his lap, letting her steal one more milk bone from the bowl. “But if you’re still interested, my shift ends in an hour.”

Lavi rubbed his nose and looked back at Allen, the embarrassed flush still staining his cheeks. “Then I guess I’ll need some more milk bones for these dogs if I’m staying another hour.”

Allen chuckled, a smile spreading across his face. “That can be arranged.”


End file.
